Hand Pad

ABSTRACT

A hand pad, for protecting an area between four fingers and a palm of the hand. The hand pad is formed with one or more finger openings disposed in the hand pad to accommodate the four fingers of the hand, and with a hand opening in the hand pad aligned with the four finger openings and disposed to accommodate the palm of the hand.

BENEFIT OF PRIORITY

This application claims the benefit of priority of prior filed PCT Application PCT/US2014/062357 filed Oct. 27, 2014 which claims benefit of priority of prior filed U.S. Application Ser. No. 61/899,093 filed Nov. 1, 2013, which are herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Summary of the Invention

The present invention relates to a hand pad for protecting the hand between four fingers and the palm during kettlebell exercise.

2. Description of the Related Art

The kettlebell is a round cast-iron weight with a flat bottom and thick handle on top used to perform dynamic exercises that combine cardiovascular, strength and flexibility training. Unlike traditional dumbbells, the kettlebell's center of mass is extended beyond the hand. The kettlebell allows for swing and release movements with added safety and added grip, wrist, arm and core strengthening.

The kettlebell handles often rub the hands over the course of a kettlebell workout. Calluses may form on the palm at the base of each finger and break if the user is not wearing suitable hand protection. Protective gloves or pads are helpful in protecting the hands from callus formation and breakage.

Kettlebell gloves have been described in the prior art. US 2013/0012365A1 to Harris describes a kettlebell glove. As shown in FIG. 9 of Harris, the glove covers the entire hand.

Other gloves for protecting the hand have been described. These include U.S. Pat. No. 2,738,190 to Turead for a palm pad for bowling which consists of a palm pad body portion and an elastic strap. The pad is considerably broader at one end than the other and is provided with a curved edge portion providing for the reception of the heel of the bowler's thumb when the pad is contained or held in the palm of the hand. An elastic strap extends between and is secured at opposite ends to the staples, the prongs of which are embedded in the pad.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,617,684 to Green describes a hand mounted player's protective palm pad which has a palm configured two piece pad and two fastening loops secured to the pad, one small loop and one much larger.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,081,715 to Mascia describes a protective pad assembly especially shaped to fit over the palm of the hand to protect the median nerve.

A design Pat. No. D619306 to Yang provides an ornamental design for a glove and shows a palm covering with four finger holes and a thumb hole and covering the entire palm of the hand.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Apparatus and methods in accordance with the present inventions may resolve many of the needs and shortcomings discussed above and will provide additional improvements and advantages as will be recognized by those skilled in the art upon review of the present disclosure.

The hand pad of the present invention protects a user's hands from forming calluses. During a typical kettlebell routine, the round base of the kettlebell flips from a position in front of the knuckles of the hand of the user to a position behind the knuckles of the hand of the user with the round base touching the forearm of the user. This motion causes the handle to turn against the skin of the hand of the user which causes stress on the skin of the hand of the user. During some kettlebell routines the round base of the kettlebell is held in a position in front of the knuckles of the hand of the user with the user's grip strength preventing the base from falling against the forearm. The act of gripping the handle to prevent the base from falling against the forearm also causes stress on the skin of the hand of the user.

The present invention is a hand pad, for protecting an area between four fingers and a palm of the hand, with the hand pad formed with one or more finger openings disposed in the hand pad to accommodate the four fingers of the hand, and with a hand opening in the hand pad aligned with the finger openings and disposed to accommodate the palm of the hand.

The hand pad of the present invention wherein the one or more finger openings are a first, a second, a third and a fourth finger opening.

The hand pad of the present invention wherein the first finger opening and the third finger opening are closer than the second finger opening to a center long axis of the hand opening.

The hand pad of the present invention wherein the first, the second, the third and the fourth finger openings are round or square and are of the same or different sizes.

The hand pad of the present invention wherein the second finger opening is a greater perpendicular distance from the center long axis of the hand opening than the first finger opening.

The hand pad of the present invention wherein the fourth finger opening is a lesser perpendicular distance from the center long axis of the hand opening than the first finger opening.

The hand pad of the present invention wherein the area between the four fingers and the palm of the hand includes a palmar digital crease of the first finger, second finger, third finger and fourth finger, a distal palmar crease and a proximal palmar crease of the hand.

The hand pad of the present invention wherein the hand opening is rectangular, trapezoidal or rectangular with two semicircular sides.

The hand pad of the present invention wherein the hand pad does not cover a proximal interphalangeal crease of fingers one, two, three and four of the hand and the pad does not cover a distal interphalangeal crease of fingers one through four of the hand.

The hand pad of the present invention, with a top of the hand pad between the finger openings and a top edge of the hand pad and with a bottom of the hand pad between the hand opening and the bottom edge of the hand pad, with the top and bottom of the hand pad on the back of the hand when the hand pad accommodates the hand.

A method of the present invention for using a hand pad for protecting an area between four fingers and a palm of the hand, comprising: accommodating the four fingers in four finger openings in the hand pad, and accommodating the palm of the hand in a hand opening aligned with the four finger openings.

The method of using the hand pad of the present invention, wherein in accommodating the four fingers in the four finger openings wherein the first finger opening and the third finger opening are closer than the second finger opening to a center long axis of the hand opening.

The method of using the hand pad of the present invention, wherein in accommodating the four fingers in the four finger openings, the first, the second, the third and the fourth finger openings are round or square and are of the same or different sizes.

The method of using the present invention, wherein in accommodating the four fingers in the four finger openings the second finger opening is a greater perpendicular distance from the center long axis of the hand opening than the first finger opening.

The method of using the present invention, wherein in accommodating the four fingers in the four finger openings, the fourth finger opening is a lesser perpendicular distance from the center long axis of the hand opening than the first finger opening.

The method of using the present invention, wherein in accommodating the four fingers in the four finger openings, the area between the four fingers and the palm of the hand includes a palmar digital crease of the first finger, second finger, third finger and fourth finger, a distal palmar crease and a proximal palmar crease of the hand.

The method of using the present invention, wherein in accommodating the four fingers in the four finger openings, the hand pad does not cover a proximal interphalangeal crease of fingers one through four of the hand and the pad does not cover a distal interphalangeal crease of fingers one through four of the hand.

The method of using the present invention, with a top of the hand pad between the finger openings and a top edge of the hand pad and with a bottom of the hand pad between the hand opening and the bottom edge of the hand pad, with the top and bottom of the hand pad on the back of the hand when the hand pad accommodates the hand.

In a second embodiment, the hand pad of the present invention may be a composite hand pad and further include a second layer formed with a second layer finger opening disposed in the second layer to accommodate the four fingers of the hand and a second layer hand opening in the second layer aligned with the second layer finger opening and disposed to accommodate the palm of the hand, with the second layer attached to the hand pad such that the one or more finger openings align with the second layer finger opening and the second layer hand opening aligns with the hand opening.

In a third embodiment, the hand pad of the present invention may further include a finger protector with a finger protector hand opening accommodating the palm of the hand, wherein the palm of the hand is inserted in the finger protector hand opening before the palm of the hand is inserted in the hand pad hand opening.

The hand pad of the present invention can be made of leather or any other abrasion resistant material. The hand pad may also be made in two layers, such as with a layer of abrasion resistant material and a layer of stretch material. Stretch materials include but are not limited to: nylon, LYCRA® fiber, acrylic yarns, polyester, neoprene, rubber, polyvinyl chloride, polypropylene, latex, NOMEX® fiber and natural fibers such as wool or cotton. Abrasion resistant materials include but are not limited to: leather, imitation leathers, vinyls, woven materials such as nylons, CORDURA® fabric, natural fibers of sufficient durability such as hemp, wool, or flax, and non-woven materials such as sail cloth, DYNEEMA® ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene and aramid fibers, such as KEVLAR® and NOMEX®.

The hand pad of the present invention can be for a left hand as shown in FIGS. 2-12 and FIGS. 15-18. The hand pad may also be the mirror image of FIGS. 2-12 and FIGS. 15-18 for use with a right hand as shown in FIGS. 13-14. The hand pad can be made in various sizes. The finger openings may be round or square.

The size of the hand pad is determined by the size of the hand, with the addition of material around the hand and finger openings to prevent the hand and fingers from tearing through during hard use. The amount of material around the perimeter of the hand pad may range from about 0.10 inches to about 0.50 inches in width. The hand pad ranges in size from about 2 inches in width to about 6 inches in width. The hand opening is less than the hand pad size by 0.20 to 1 inch or more to prevent the fingers and hand from tearing through the material. Finger holes are approximately one quarter of the width of the hand pad less the necessary amount of material to prevent the hands and fingers from tearing through the edge, which amount is typically 0.25 inches. The length of the glove from the top of the finger holes to the bottom of the hand opening changes proportionally with the increase or decrease of the glove width and length.

Exemplary sizes of the hand pad are given below. The finger openings for fingers one, two and three may be about 0.688 inches in diameter or across. The finger opening for finger opening four may be about 0.625 inches in diameter. The center of first finger opening may be about 1.044 inches from the center of second finger opening. The center of the second finger opening may be about 1.048 inches from the center of the third finger opening. The center of the third finger opening may be about 0.928 inches from the center of the fourth finger opening. The center of the second finger opening may be about 0.182 inches further from the center long axis of the hand opening than the center of the first finger opening. The center of the fourth finger opening may be about 0.445 inches closer to the center long axis of the hand opening than the center of the first finger opening. The hand opening is 0.75 inches wide and 3.112 inches long.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

All Figures are illustrated for ease of explanation of the basic teachings of the present invention only; the extensions of the Figures with respect to number, position, relationship and dimensions of the parts to form the preferred embodiment will be explained or will be within the skill of the art after the following description has been read and understood. Further, the exact dimensions and dimensional proportions to conform to specific force, weight, strength, and similar requirements will likewise be within the skill of the art after the following description has been read and understood.

FIG. 1 of the drawings shows a drawing of the parts of the hand.

FIG. 2 of the drawings shows a schematic of a hand pad of the current invention.

FIG. 2B of the drawings shows a schematic of a second layer and a hand pad of a composite hand pad.

FIG. 3 of the drawings shows a picture of a hand pad of the current invention.

FIG. 4 of the drawings shows a picture of a hand pad of the current invention partially on a hand.

FIG. 5 of the drawings show a picture of the back side of a hand protected with a hand pad of the current invention on the hand.

FIG. 6 of the drawings shows a picture of the palm side of a hand protected with a hand pad of the current invention on the hand. FIG. 7 of the drawings shows a picture of a hand with the hand pad holding a kettlebell in a horizontal position.

FIG. 8 of the drawings shows a picture of a hand with the hand pad holding a kettlebell in a position behind the knuckles.

FIG. 9 of the drawings shows a picture of a hand pad for a composite hand pad.

FIG. 10 of the drawings shows a picture of a second layer for a composite hand pad.

FIG. 11 of the drawings shows a picture of a second layer attached to a hand pad of a composite hand pad.

FIG. 12 of the drawings shows a picture of a second layer partially attached to a hand pad of a composite hand pad.

FIG. 13 of the drawings shows a picture of a hand with a composite hand pad holding a kettlebell.

FIG. 14 of the drawings shows a picture of a hand with a composite hand pad holding a kettlebell.

FIG. 15 of the drawings shows a picture of a two piece hand pad with a hand pad and a finger protector.

FIG. 16 of the drawings shows a picture of a palm side of a hand with a two piece hand pad with a hand pad and a finger protector.

FIG. 17 of the drawings shows a picture of a side view of a hand with a two piece hand pad with a hand pad and a finger protector.

FIG. 18 of the drawings shows a picture of a side view of a hand with a two piece hand pad with a hand pad and a finger protector holding a kettlebell.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

This invention describes an apparatus and methods for measuring scattered radiation over a nearly complete hemisphere or a partial hemisphere employing an array of detectors that are moved (scanned) through the scattered light making a measurement of any and/or all desired scatter angles.

The present invention provides a hand pad 10 and methods for implementing the hand pad 10. As shown in FIG. 2, the hand pad 10 is formed with a hand opening 11, a first finger opening 12, a second finger opening 13, third finger opening 14 and a fourth finger opening 15. The finger openings 12,13,14,15 are generally circular. The hand opening 11 is rectangular with two semicircular short sides. The hand opening 11 allows the fingers and palm of the hand to be inserted there through into the hand pad 10. The hand opening 11 is rectangular with two semicircular short sides. A top 17 of the hand pad 10 is between the finger openings 12,13,14,15 and a top edge of the hand pad 10 and a bottom 16 of the hand pad is between the hand opening 11 and the bottom edge of the hand pad 10. The hand opening 11 is defined by a width W and a length L. An axis between the center of the first finger opening 12 and the third finger opening 14 is parallel to, or aligned with, the center long axis L of the hand opening 11.

FIG. 1 shows parts of the hand. The hand pad 10 covers an area between four fingers and a palm of the hand. The area between the four fingers and the palm of the hand includes a palmar digital crease of the first finger, second finger, third finger and fourth finger, a distal palmar crease and a proximal palmar crease of the hand (see FIG. 1). The hand pad 10 does not cover a proximal interphalangeal crease of fingers one, two, three and four of the hand and the pad does not cover a distal interphalangeal crease of fingers one through four of the hand (See FIG. 1).

FIG. 2 shows a hand pad 10 with a hand opening 11, a first finger opening 12, a second finger opening 13, third finger opening 14 and a fourth finger opening 15.

FIG. 2B shows a second layer 21 above a hand pad 10. The second layer finger opening 22, the second layer hand opening 23, the top of the second layer 24, the bottom of the second layer 25, and the middle of second layer 26 are shown above the four finger openings 12, 13,14, 15 and hand opening 11 of the hand pad 10.

FIG. 3 shows a hand pad 10 before inserting fingers and hand through the finger openings 12,13,14 and 15 and the hand opening 11. FIG. 4 shows the first step of putting on the hand pad 10. The hand is put through the hand opening 11 in the hand pad 10. FIG. 5 shows the back of the hand with the hand pad 10 on the hand. The hand is through the hand opening 11 and the fingers through finger openings 12, 13, 14 and 15. One can see the top 17 of the hand pad and the bottom of the hand pad 16. FIG. 6 shows the palm side of the hand, with the hand through the hand opening 11 and the fingers through finger openings 12, 13, 14 and 15. The middle 18 of the hand pad 10 is visible on the hand. FIG. 7 shows a hand with a hand pad 10 holding a kettlebell handle in a horizontal position. FIG. 8 shows a hand with a hand pad 10 holding a kettlebell handle in a position behind the knuckles.

FIGS. 9 and 10 show a second embodiment, a composite hand pad with a hand pad 10 in FIG. 9 and a second layer 21 in FIG. 10. The second layer 21 has a second layer finger opening 22 and a second layer hand opening 23, a top of the second layer 24, a bottom of the second layer 25 and a middle of the second layer 26.

FIG. 11 shows the composite hand pad with the hand pad 10 and the second layer 21, respectively, with the second layer 21 laid on top of the hand pad 10. FIG. 12 shows the composite hand pad with the hand pad 10 and the second layer 21 partially attached. As shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the finger openings 12, 13, 14 and 15 of the hand pad 10 are aligned with the second layer finger opening 22 and the hand opening 11 of the hand pad 10 is aligned with the second layer hand opening 23 of the second layer 21. The top 17 of the hand pad 10 is aligned with the top 24 of the second layer 21, the bottom 16 of the hand pad 10 is aligned with the bottom 25 of the second layer 21 and the middle 18 of the hand pad 10 is aligned with the middle 26 of the second layer 21. The hand pad 10 and the second layer 21 may be attached to one another by sewing or other methods known in the art.

FIGS. 13 and 14 show the composite hand pad on a hand and holding a kettlebell.

FIG. 15 shows the components of a two piece hand pad, a hand pad 10 and a finger protector 31. The hand pad 10 is shown before inserting fingers and hand through the finger openings 12, 13, 14 and 15 and the hand opening 11. The finger protector 31 is shown with a finger protector hand opening 32, a finger protector top 33 and a finger protector bottom 34. FIG. 16 shows the two piece hand pad on a hand. The palm of the hand is first inserted into the finger protector hand opening 32 of the finger protector 31. Secondly the hand is inserted into the hand opening 11 of the hand pad 10. Finally the fingers are inserted through the fingers openings 12,13,14,15.

FIGS. 16 and 17 show the two piece hand pad on a hand. FIG. 17 shows the finger protector top 33 of the finger protector 31 covering the distal interphalangeal crease of the four fingers of the hand and partially covering the distal phalanx of the four fingers of the hand (see FIG. 1.)

FIG. 18 shows the two piece hand pad on a hand and holding the handle of a kettlebell.

The foregoing discussion discloses and describes merely exemplary embodiments of the present invention. The invention is not limited to the method and the object as described in detail above. Upon review of the specification, one skilled in the art will readily recognize from such discussion, and from the accompanying drawings and claims, that various changes, modifications and variations can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A hand pad, for protecting an area between four fingers and a palm of the hand, with the hand pad formed with one or more finger openings disposed in the hand pad to accommodate the four fingers of the hand, and with a hand opening in the hand pad aligned with the four finger openings and disposed to accommodate the palm of the hand.
 2. The hand pad of claim 1, wherein the one or more finger openings are a first, a second, a third and a fourth finger opening.
 3. The hand pad of claim 2, wherein the first finger opening and the third finger opening are closer than the second finger opening to a center long axis of the hand opening.
 4. The hand pad of claim 2, wherein the first, the second, the third and the fourth finger openings are round or square and are of a same or a different size.
 5. The hand pad of claim 2, wherein the second finger opening is a greater perpendicular distance from the center long axis of the hand opening than the first finger opening.
 6. The hand pad of claim 2, wherein the fourth finger opening is a lesser perpendicular distance from the center long axis of the hand opening than the first finger opening.
 7. The hand pad of claim 1, wherein the hand opening is rectangular, trapezoidal or rectangular with two semicircular sides.
 8. The hand pad of claim 1, wherein the area between the four fingers and the palm of the hand includes a palmar digital crease of the first finger, second finger, third finger and fourth finger, a distal palmar crease and a proximal palmar crease of the hand.
 9. The hand pad of claim 1, wherein the hand pad does not cover a proximal interphalangeal crease of fingers one, two, three and four of the hand and the pad does not cover a distal interphalangeal crease of fingers one through four of the hand.
 10. The hand pad of claim 1, with a top of the hand pad between the finger openings and a top edge of the hand pad and with a bottom of the hand pad between the hand opening and the bottom edge of the hand pad, with the top and bottom of the hand pad on the back of the hand when the hand pad accommodates the hand.
 11. A method for using a hand pad for protecting an area between four fingers and a palm of the hand, comprising: accommodating the four fingers in one or more finger openings in the hand pad, and accommodating the palm of the hand in a hand opening aligned with the four finger openings.
 12. The method of claim 11, wherein in accommodating the four in the one or more finger openings is in a first, a second, a third and a fourth finger opening.
 13. The method of claim 12, wherein in accommodating the four fingers in the four finger openings, the first finger opening and the third finger opening are closer than the second finger opening from a center long axis of the hand opening.
 14. The method of claim 12, wherein in accommodating the four fingers in the four finger openings, the first, the second, the third and the fourth finger openings are round or square and are of a same or a different size.
 15. The method of claim 12, wherein in accommodating the four fingers in the four finger openings the second finger opening is a greater perpendicular distance from the center long axis of the hand opening than the first finger opening.
 16. The method of claim 12, wherein in accommodating the four fingers in the four finger openings, the fourth finger opening is a lesser perpendicular distance from the center long axis of the hand opening than the first finger opening.
 17. The method of claim 12, wherein in accommodating the four fingers in the four finger openings, the area between the four fingers and the palm of the hand includes a palmar digital crease of the first finger, second finger, third finger and fourth finger, a distal palmar crease and a proximal palmar crease of the hand.
 18. The method of claim 12, wherein in accommodating the four fingers in the four finger openings, the hand pad does not cover a proximal interphalangeal crease of fingers one through four of the hand and the pad does not cover a distal interphalangeal crease of fingers one through four of the hand and with a top of the hand pad between the finger openings and a top edge of the hand pad and with a bottom of the hand pad between the hand opening and the bottom edge of the hand pad, with the top and bottom of the hand pad on the back of the hand when the hand pad accommodates the hand.
 19. The hand pad of claim 1 further comprising a second layer formed with a second layer finger opening disposed in the second layer to accommodate the four fingers of the hand and a second layer hand opening in the second layer aligned with the second layer finger opening and disposed to accommodate the palm of the hand, with the second layer attached to the hand pad such that the one or more finger openings align with the second layer finger opening and the second layer hand opening aligns with the hand opening.
 20. The hand pad of claim 1 further comprising a finger protector with a finger protector hand opening accommodating the palm of the hand, wherein the palm of the hand is inserted in the finger protector hand opening before the palm of the hand is inserted in the hand pad hand opening. 